You are here

Addiction and Cessation

Tobacco dependence continues to be the single most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Persons entering drug abuse treatment smoke at 3-4 times the rate, and staff in publicly funded programs smoke at twice the rate, of the general population. Although the burden of illness and associated economic costs of nicotine addiction are elevated in the drug treatment population, treatment programs rarely address comorbid nicotine addiction.

This descriptive study consists of focus groups and survey development to explore among African American smokers perceived obstacles in the use of nicotine replacement therapy and to identify any uses of alternative medicines as aids to help them quit smoking. Drugs made to replace nicotine in the body, such as the nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, and nasal spray, have been used to help individuals quit smoking.

This project aims to estimate the relative impact of two intervention approaches for generating community pharmacy-based referrals to tobacco cessation telephone quitlines. This study will apply a randomized design, using the community pharmacy as the unit of randomization, to estimate the impact of two approaches for engaging community pharmacy personnel in providing patient referrals to tobacco quitlines: (1) Minimal intervention: Pharmacies are provided, by mail, with printed quitline materials to be distributed by pharmacy personnel to patients who smoke.

This is a clinical trial designed to determine the efficacy and cost effectiveness of a novel, intense treatment for cigarette smoking among persons addicted to opioid drugs who are enrolled in buprenorphine treatment for that addiction.

Although the 5A’s for smoking cessation is an accepted standard of care, national data show that most primary care providers fail to adhere to the full intervention guidelines. This NIDA-funded implementation science R01 tests the use of a hybrid delivery model for the 5A’s in primary care that could improve intervention fidelity, save clinician time, and still utilize the social influence of the provider. This model is being tested in a randomized-controlled trial at 3 UCSF primary care clinics.

We are investigating the determinants of nicotine/tobacco dependence among African American smokers and the relationship between dependence and smoke intake to understand tobacco-related disease risks within that population. Current studies include assessment of gender differences in nicotine intake and carcinogen exposure among African American light smokers (those who smoke ten or fewer cigarettes per day) and studies on racial and gender differences in smoke intake among African American and Caucasian smokers.

In this study, funded by the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities, we will conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews of a sub-sample of a cohort of older, African American homeless adults (PI: Dr. Margot Kushel) to develop a smoking cessation intervention unique to the needs of this population. Using these formative data, we will pilot test the smoking cessation intervention among target participants to obtain preliminary data in support of a larger RCT.

Eastern Europe Center of Excellence for Nurses in Tobacco Control (EE-COE), is a collaboration between the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care, UCSF & UCLA Schools of Nursing, and partners from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Romania. The EE-COE partners have developed, and are currently implementing educational activities in each of the five countries. The goal of this collaboration was to build capacity among nurses in general practice and in oncology to implement evidence-based interventions with all patients who smoke.

Individuals with mental illness or addictive disorders account for a staggering 44% to 46% of the US tobacco market. The overall goal of this research is to identify efficacious strategies for treating tobacco dependence among adult smokers hospitalized with severe mental illness.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypnosis would be more effective in helping smokers quit than standard behavioral counseling when both interventions are combined with nicotine patches (NP). Among participants with a history of depression, hypnosis yielded significantly higher validated point-prevalence quit rates at 6 and 12 months than standard treatment.

The study addresses the underlying roles that a wide spectrum of health and human services play in the long-term course of alcohol problems in a representative sample of dependent and problem drinkers drawn from a single county’s household population. Fundamental to health services research in the alcohol field is an understanding of the long-term course of problem drinking and how health and human services, including alcohol treatment and self-help, impact that course.

The primary aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an intensive smoking cessation intervention that utilizes extended cognitive-behavioral therapy (ECBT) and combination nicotine replacement (CNRT), consisting of nicotine patches and adjuvant nicotine replacement (choice of lozenge, gum, nasal spray, or inhaler). Effective smoking cessation interventions have yet to be identified for alcohol-dependent smokers in early recovery. The primary aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an intensive smoking cessation interventio

Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of death in the United States[i]. Tobacco cessation involves multiple quit attempts over time—but with provider engagement, patients are more likely to remain smoke-free. A 2014 Cochrane review showed that documentation of tobacco use and referral to cessation counseling appeared to increase following implementation of EMR-based tools[ii].

AA and EA smokers undergo detailed monitoring of smoking behavior, receive known doses of nicotine to establish nicotine metabolic rate, undergo DNA testing, and have their responses to not smoking for several hours studied. Exposure to carcinogens and other tobacco smoke toxins is also measured. It is hypothesized that there are racial differences in metabolism that may explain different patterns of smoking, and that this in turn influences the reasons why smokers continue to self-administer nicotine (i.e., continue to smoke).

In the U.S. there has been tremendous success in the reduction of smoking prevalence. However, for older adults who make up over a quarter of the US population and are expected to double by 2050, the decrease in smoking prevalence has stalled. While overall tobacco use in the US has declined the smallest reductions have been among 45-64yos and men older than 65 actually had a 10% increase. There has been rapid growth in electronic cigarette use among older smokers and the most common reported reason for use is to quit smoking cigarettes.

Dr. Tsoh is conducting several projects to promote smoking cessation among Asian American smokers in community and clinical settings. The projects focus on identifying effective channels for delivering smoking cessation treatment, developing comprehensive and culturally-sensitive treatment approaches, and disseminating intervention technology developed from research to the community and clinical practice settings.

Unlike smoking,conventional smokeless tobacco (ST) (moist snuff, known as dip and chewing tobacco) among US high school students is much higher among males (13%) than females (2%) and is especially high in rural areas. In 2005, ST manufacturers spent over $250 million on marketing, including “new” ST products such as dissolvable films, compressed tobacco (e.g.

We invite Spanish- and English-speaking adult smokers who want to quit to join our study at: sfstopsmoking.org (English) or sfdejardefumar.org (Spanish). The entire study takes place online. Smokers can use this free site via smartphones, tablets, or computers to download a stop smoking guide, access tracking tools, and receive text messages to help them quit smoking.